Envelope-sealing device for postage-meter machines



`w. H. WHEELER. JR

ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Jan. l, 1929.

Filed March 11, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet ENNEMI@ Jag. 1, 1929. 1,697,036

H. WHEELER, JR

ENVELOPE SEALING DEVICE FOR POSTAGE METER MACHINES Filed March 11. 19272 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. l, 1929.

Urrea s'rA'rEs 1,697,036 PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER H. WHEELER, JR., OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO IPITNEY-BOWES POSTAGE METER COMPANY, OF STAMFORD, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORA- TIONOF DELAWARE.

ENVELOPE-SEALING DEVICE FOR POSTAGE-METER MACHINES.

Application filed March 1l, 1927. Serial No. 174,502.

This invention relates to envelope moistening and sealing devices; andis especially designed for use with small so-called postage metermachines; or like i'nachines adapted to print postage indicia uponenvelopes and other mail matter. The principal object of this inventionis to save labor by utilizing the operations heretofore required forprinting the indicia on mail matter by such machines to also accomplishthe opening, moistening and closing of the flaps of the envelopes.

ln the accompanying drawings the invention is shown as applied to asmall hand operated postage meter machine, which is designed and hasheretofore been used merely to print indicia on mail matter that hadpreviously been sealed, but such machine when provided with the simpleattachn'ient of the present invention, may also perform the operationsof sealing envelopes with no eXtra effort; because, as will be describedlater, the act of placing an envelope in print-ing position in themachine andstarting it toward the printer automatically starts theoperation of moistening the flap of the envelope, and the performance ofthe act of printing the envelope completes the moistening 'of the flapand closes it against the body of the envelope. l

The invention, however, may be adapted to other types of machines andindicia printingI machines, and l do not consider it restricted to aspecific embodiment thereof illust-rated in the drawings.

To enable others familiar with the art to understand and use theinvention, l will explain one practical embodiment thereof asillustrated in the accompanying dra-wings, and refer to the claims forsumn'iaries of the essentials of the invention and novel features ofconstruction and novel combinations of parts for which protection isdesired.

ln said drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a small postage meter machine, with theparts broken awa-y to show the flap opening and meistening devices;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of said machine partly broken away to showthe flap opening and moistening devices;

Fig. 3 is a detail bottom view of the flap opener and moist-ener, withan envelope with its flap partly moistened;

Fig. 4 is a detail top View of the flap opener and moistener.

'The particular construction of the postage meter machine does not forma feature of the present invention and the postage meter machine shownin the-drawings is a small portable machine a number of which are now inuse. The said machine is adapted to print postage indicia upon letters,and the operating mechanisms thereof are enclosed in a easing` i. Theoperatin g mechanisms include printing dies 2a, 2b and 2c, mounted on aportable drum 2, which can be revolved by suitable mechanism, not shown,operated by means of a handle 3. The said dies co-operate with animpression roller 5, mounted in a yieldably supported arm 4l. The endsof the shaft of the impression roller 5 are yieldingly supported bysprings 5S which allow the roller to accommodate itself to envelopeshaving uneven or wedge-shaped contents.

The supporting arm l is pivoted at 4a and is urged upwardly by suit-ablespring means (not shown) to cause the impression roller 5 to press theenvelopes into contact with the printing dies when the drum 2 is:rotated. rllhe arm il; also has a vertical flange lb on its rear side toguide the letters passing through the machine.

A feed table 6, fastened at 6a to the base of the machine, has avert-ical guide flange 6b, in alignment with the guide'flange 4') of armd. rlhe parts thus fair referredV to are parts of the aforesaid postagemeter machine, as it is now sold, and are not features of the presentinvention.

ln the operation of this machine. the envelope to be printed is placedon table 6 and slid endwise by hand ,inward and along and over thesupport 4 until its forward end is under the arrow 7, marked on thehousing l. The handle 3 is then turned, and the envelope is caughtbetween drum 2 and roller 5 and is forwarded thereby and printed by 'thedies 2a, 2h, 2C, and discharged at the right-hand end of the machine.

Ilhe postagevmeter machine as thus constituted will only print postageindicia upon sealed envelopes. lt may be taken bodily to the post officeand set for a certain amount of pre-paid postage by the postaloflicials, and

kmay then be removed and used to print postage indicia. on mail matteruntil the desired amount of postage paid for is used, and then ALY2 hasto be reset. The machine being small, is portable bodily 'and does notrequire a removable meter, such as is required in the larger and .fasterpower operate dtypes of cmetered mail :postage meter machines.

The object of my invention is to provide an attachment for small postagemeter printing machines of the `-type showr-`which Vcan be readilyapplied to such machines, and by which the envelopes may have theirflaps opened, moistened and closed simultaneously with and by Vtheoperations 'of printing the postage indicia thereon, without requiringany :addi tional operations, or any more work, on the part 'of theoperator than has been heretofore required in passing sealed envelopesthrough the machine.

As applied to the -said machine the attachment is mounted von thesupport or arm As shown the attachment consists of a tank or reservoir10; a. flap opener 11; "a 'moistener 14; a guard member 12; andanadjuste'r member 13. These parts are ,preferably 'constructed andarranged as illustrated in the said idrawings when the invention isVused with the particular make Vof postage meter machine shown inthedrawings.

The tank or reservoir 10 is preferably detachably secured to the arm 4by threaded studs 10iL and knur-led nuts l0", Said tank is preferablyclosed except for a slot in its top, near its outer end, throughq'whichslot the moisteni'ng wick 14 enters. This permits the machine to betipped back, without spilling water out ofthe tank, in order tov-moist'en 'the outer en d of the wick "if it should become slightlydry.

The flap 'opener 11 is 'preferably made of a piece of sheet metal bentupon itself in the shape of a wedge, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, andhaving at its blunt end a` sleeve 11' by which it is hingedly mounted ona wire member 12a.

A moistener 14 of wicking, felt, or other suitable absorbent material,is held on the under side of the flap opener 11 by the fold 11; saidmoistener preferably extends the full lengt-h of the flap opener fromthe `point 11a, to lthe heel, 4and has a portion 14a extending looselyin the tank 10 which absorbs the liquid contained therein, and, throughcapillary attraction conveys it to the exterior part of the moistener atall points of its length.

y The member 12 is preferably formed of wire and has a loop or eye 12gformed at its left-hand end, Figs. 1 and 4; and extends upward therefromand is bent to form a horizontal-portion 12, which extends across thetank and passes through the sleeve 11b of the flap opener 11. Thisportion 12l may be detachably engaged in notches 10C, in the sides ofthe tank 10; and acts rasa pivot and locating point "for the flap opener11. At the right-hand side of tank10, thewire 12 is bent downward 'andupward i'na U bend as at 12b',

from 'this bend it extends inward, as at 12, approximately parallel tothe 'rear edge of the opener 11, adjacent the rear edge of the moistener14 therein, Near the free end of the flap opener 11, wire 12 is bent tothe left and slightly inclined downward, as `at 12d, and its extremityis inclined sharply downward, fas at 12e. The part 12c of said wire actsas a guide for the flap of the envelopes passing `under ``he opener 11,and presses it upward into contact with the moistener J14 by which it ismoistened. rifhe part 12, also guides the flap, a d the downward bend12d is for the purpose yof directing the flap gently into positionwithout shock. Theil bend 12b is designed to give resiliency to the part12C. rlhe .part 12, as has been explained, acts as a pivot for theopener '11, and the eye 12g is engagecl i\*ith an adjusting member 13.

The adjusting member 13 is secured to the front fold 11c ofthe flaplopener 11 and controls its movement. This member 13 is shown as formedof a wire and has adownwardly 'extending portion adjacent floop 12g ofwire, and is preferably bent as vshown in Fig. 2 and has a. straightthreaded end portion 18aM which passes through the loop or eye 12g ofwire 12, and on this 'threaded portion 13"-, at opposite sides of loop112g, are nuts 15 and 15d.

By adjusting said nuts 15, 15?, the relative 'positions of the opener11, and the guide wire 12c can be adjusted.

The point of the hap opener "111 is yieldingly pressed upward intoContact with the member of the casing, as shown,'by means of a spring 16attached t'o eye 12S 'and to a threaded rod 16a, adjust'ably engagedwith a. thumb nut 16D.

When the parts are properly adjusted the point 11 of flap opener 11 willbe yieldin-gly held in contact with the under side 'of 'the housing 1,so that an envelope passed through the mach-ine in the regular way, asabove described, will 4have to 'pass between the point 11l of the openerand the housing 1; and the point of the opener pressing against theunder side of the envelope vwill engage the edge of the flap and openit, and enter the opener and moistener between the flap and the body ofthe envelope. The flap passing under the ope'ne is forced by the Dart12c of wire 12 into contact with the `wick 14 and is moistened thereby.y

Preferably a shield or guard 127 is secured to the under side-of thehousing l, above and adjacent to the opener 11, said shield beingpreferably made of spring metal. rllhis shield will lightly presstheforw'ard end of the letters downward toward theimprcssion roller andagainst the tendency the opener 11, to raise them up the shield willalsoprotect the letter from being soiled by the ink fron'ithe printingdies,

The flap opening and n'iois'te'ning operaing by the machine in the usualmanner; and

the operation of printinga letter completes the operations of opening,moistening` and closing, the flap.

The device is so positioned as regards the printing devices that theflap of the envelope is partially opened and presented to the moistenerby the mere act of inserting an envelope in position for printii'igl it.The contact of the stripping corner of the opener with the casingprevents any envelope passing' between the two without having' its flapopened. The yi-eldable mountingof the flap opener enables it to readilyaccon'nnodate itself to envelopes having contents of varying; thickness.After the flap is moistened it passes between the printing` roller andthe printing die which press the flap of the envelope against the bodyof the envelope before it is discharged from the machine.

In this machine the usual flap closer or light pressure mea-ns for,closing the flap against the body of the envelope after moistening andbefore subjecting' the letter to substantial pressure by rollers isomitted; but the liap is closed against 'the bodv of the envelope by thebending' of the envelope before-,the vflap is pressed into close contacttherewith by the die and impression roller. This bending' isaccomplished by having the normal position of the moistener higher thanthe bite of the die and impression roller, or above or out of line ofthe path of the letter between the printing' and impression rollers, sothat the bodyof the letter as it passes from the moistener to therollers is curved and brought into contact with the Hap before thepressure is applied.

The impression roller in the machine shown is an idler and there is nomechanism. acting on the iiap to carry it forward. Unless the flap isproperly in place at the beginning` of the pressure sealing' itstendency to lag would increase as the letter passes between the rollers;and, but for the said bending;` of the letter, this would result in afalse or second crease above the normal crease of the flap.

It will be seen that no extra work is required by the use of myinif'ention in performing-the VHap opening', moistenino' and sealing`operations in addition to the printing; operation; and that theadditional operations have no deleteriousvelfect on the printing1operation. The very slight extra effort required to push the leading endof the letter past the point of the flap opener, (where formerly it hadan unobstructed course) is negligible, and in the construction shown itis performed before the printing operation begins and does not affectthat operation.

The flap opening and moisteninp attachment is readily detachable asaunit from the machine, so that if desired it can be removed when themachine is to betalren tothe post oliice for resetting.

claim:

1. in combination with a postage indicia printing' machine having' arotatably mounted printing die, an impression roller co-operatingtherewithgand support for the impression roller; of flap opening' andmoistendevices mounted upon the support for the impression roller inadvance of said roller and closely adjacent thereto, the opener beingabove the bite of the die and roller, the die and impression rollerco-operatinp` during,` the printing operation to draw the envelope pastthe `Hap opener and moistener.

2. lin combination with a postage indicia printing machine having arotatably mounted printing die, an impression roller co-operatingltherewith; a yieldable support for the impression roller; and means forguiding an envelope to the printing die and impression roller; of flapopening and moisteningl devices mounted upon the support 4for theimpression roller in advance of said roller and closely adjacentthereto, the opener being` above the bite of the die and roller; the dieand impression roller co-operating` to draw the envelope past the flapopener and moistener and to close the moistened iiap during` theprinting operation.

' 8. In combination with a postage meter machine havine' a rotatableprinting die, an impression roller co-operating therewith; and

a movable support for the impression roller;

of a iiap opening` and moistening attachment mounted upon the supportfor the impression roller in advance of said roller and closely adjacentthereto said attachment comprising` a tank; a flap opener shaped andpositioned to engage and open the flap of an envelope movingtherepastthe said opener being above the bite of the die and roller; amoistener carried by said flap opener; a member adapted to direct theflap into Contact with the moistener as the envelope passes the flapopener and before is printed; the die and impression rollerco-operating` to draw the envelope past the flap opener and moistenerduring the printing operation and to close the moistened flap.

fi. In combination with a postage indicia printing machine having arotatably mounted printing die., an impression roller co-operatingtherewith; a movable support for the impression roller; and means forguiding an envelope to the printing' `die and impression roller g offlap opening' and moistening devices mounted upon the said support inadvance of said roller and closely adjacent thereto and comprising, atank, spring mea-ns for normally yieldingly holding` the Hap opener inflap engaging position the said opener being above the bite of the dieand roller, a moistener att ched to the flap opener and extending intothe tank, a guard wire adapted to cause the opened flap to engage themoistener as it passes; the die and impression roller cooperating todraw the envelope pastthe iiap opener and moistener and to close themoistened lap,

5. A moistening and iiap opening attachmentiforpostagemeter machines;comprising a tank; a itlap opener having a flap engaging point; amoistener carried by the fiap opener and extending into the tank; a winJdetachably mounted on said tank and having a depending eye at one ad, aportion extending parallel with the rear side of the flap opener, andanother portion extending` adjacent the point ot the flap opener'7 saidwire being adapted to guide the opened tlap into `contact with the'meiste-ner; member' connected to said tiap opener' and having athreaded portion extending through the eye o't the irst wire; and aspring for nornrally holding the tlap opener, guard wire and moistenerin -operative positionu '6. A moistening `and flap opening attachnentfor postage met-er lnnichines; comprising a tank; a wedge shaped flapopener and having a -flap engaging portion at its thin end, a moistenercarried by the 'Hap opener and eX- tending` into the tank; a wiredetachably mounted on said tank and having a depending eye at one end;and having a portion eX- tending .parallel with the .rear side et theflap opener, `and another portion extending beside the point 1ot the lapopener; said wire bein adapted te guide an open iiap into con- .tithenioist-ener; a second wire conn ed with said flap opener and havinga threaded portion extending` through the eye 'of the tiret wire;adjusting members on the threaded portion ot said .second wire; Aand aspring 'for .normally holding the flap opener, moistener and guard wirein operative position.

7. A moistening and lilap opening attachment tor postage meter machines;comprising a tank; a wedge shaped iap opener and having a i enga gingpoint at its thin end Vano a lsleeve adjacent its thick end; a moistenercarried by the flap opener having a portion extending into .the tank; awire detach ably and pivotally mounted on said tank, and l'ravingadepending` loop at one end below its pivotal portion.; said pivotalportion eX- tending Vthrough the sleeve of the flap opener, said wirehaving a portion extending` parallel with the rear side of the lapopener and another portion eXt-ending beside the point et the flapopener.; said wire being adapted to guide the open dap into contact withthe moistener; a. second wire connected with said tlap opener and having:a threaded portion extending through the eye of the iirst wire;adjusting members'on the Athreaded portion et sait second wire, andspring connected with the first wire tor normally holding the iapopener7 meiste-ner and guard wire in operative position.

8. In a postage printingmachine having a rotatable printing die7 andco-operatingl impression roller; a flap opening and moisteninl deviceyieloably mounted immediately adjacent said impression roller and havingits flap engaging portion normally above the line et' centae between theimpression roller and printing die whereby the body of the letter iscurved it passes from the moistener to the roller and the flap broughtinto conta rt with the body ofthe letter before the pressure is applied.l

9. ln a postage printing machine having a printing dies and eo-actingimpression roller; a flap opening and moistening device .iinmcdiatelyadjacent said impression roller, said device being yieldably n'iountedandfhaving` its iiap engaging portion normally higher than the bite etthe die and impression roller and in such relation to the point or" biteot the die and impression roller that the body of the envelope is curvedin passing between the moistener and the said point whereby the flap isbrought into Contact with the body betere pressure is applied.

10. ln a postage printing machine having -a rotatably mounted and drivenprinting die,

and an undriven 'impression roller cooperating therewith; `a flapopening and meisten- .ing device Ahigher than `the -ibite yot `the dieand impression roller Aand .immediately adjacent said impression roller7said device being yieldably mounted and having its flap engaging portionnormally in such yrelation to the point of bite ot the die andimpression roller that the body of the envelope isicurved in passingbetween the moistener andthe said point whereby the body of the letteris'curved as it passes from the moistener to the roller and the i'lapbrought into cont-act with the body ot the letter betere the pressure isapplied.

ll. combination with a postage printing machine having a rotatablymounted vand driven printing die, and an undriven impression rollercooperating therewith; ot a -flap opening and moistening device mountedimmediately adjacent said printing die and impression roller, saiddevice being pivotally mounted and having its flap engaging point.normally above the line ot contact between the impression roller andprinting die and a shield between-the moistener and `roller whereby thebody ofthe letter is curved as it passes from the moistener'to therollerand the rflap brought into fcontact with-the body et the letter beterethe pressure is applied.

ln testimony that my own, I atlix my claim the Yforegoing .as signature.

WWALTEEH. TVVHEELER, Je.

lll)

